Note acceptor controlled ticket dispenser

ABSTRACT

An automatic ticket dispenser, especially for the sale of lottery tickets, includes a continuous web of tickets, drive track perforated on one side edge only, and advanced one ticket length beyond a cutting station within a locked cabinet, with each insertion of an acceptable paper note by an automatic note acceptor. The control circuit causes a pivoted knife to cut off each individual and successive ticket at the cutting station for gravity fall down a chute and out of a dispensing slot. A spring biased tension bar assures a clean shear and endless chain friction pads prevent ticket drag. Hold down clamps oppose liftoff effect of the upward moving knife.

[ 51 May 22,1973

[54] NOTE ACCEPTOR CONTROLLED TICKET DISPENSER [75] Inventor: Donald R.Richer, Manchester, NH.

[73] Assignee: Granite State Machine Company,

Inc., Manchester, NH.

[22] Filed: Jan. 21, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 108,431

[52] US. Cl. ..194/4 F, 83/242, 83/584,

194/10, 226/74, 226/171 [51] Int. Cl. ..G07b 5/02 [58] Field of Search..194/4 R, 4 C, 4 F,

3,456,537 7/1969 Quinn ..83/602 X 2,266,171 12/1941 Davis ....226/74 UX2,996,001 8/1961 Schlegel et al.... ..83/602 X 2,951,164 8/1960 Timms..194/4 R Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant ExaminerDavid A.Scherbel Attorney-Pearson & Pearson [57] ABSTRACT An automatic ticketdispenser, especially for the sale of lottery tickets, includes acontinuous web of tickets, drive track perforated on one side edge only,and advanced one ticket length beyond a cutting station within a lockedcabinet, with each insertion of an acceptable paper note by an automaticnote acceptor. The control circuit causes a pivoted knife to cut offeach individual and successive ticket at the cutting station for gravityfall down a chute and out of a dispensing slot. A spring biased tensionbar assures a clean shear and endless chain friction pads prevent ticketdrag. Hold down clamps oppose lift-off effect of the upward movingknife.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented May 22, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.6'.

Fig.

INVENTOR. DONALD R RICHEF ATTORNEYS NOTE ACCEPTOR CONTROLLED TICKETDISPENSER CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS In my co-pendingapplication, Ser. No. 25,891, of Apr. 6, 1970, an automatic ticketdispenser is disclosed which is remote controlled electrically by theticket seller, who collects the payment and oversees the sale. Theticket is inscribed while still in the cabinet, through a sliding dooraperture, the closing of the door actuating the endless chain deliveryof the ticket to outside the cabinet for severance by tear strip.

The dispenser of this invention makes use of a similar continuous web,but the web has registration holes along one side edge only for a singlepin carrying feed chain, the opposite edge being advanced by an endlessfriction pad carrier cooperating with hold down clamps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Apparatus of the type of this invention hascome into considerable use of late, in legalized lottery states anddiffers from theater ticket, or insurance policy dispensers, inrequiring more fool-proof and theft-proof construction and operationbecause of the value of the tickets.

A typical, remote-control, sliding gate dispenser is disclosed in US.Pat. No. 3,464,302 to Hirsch of Sept. 2, 1969, the device requiring anoperator to actuate the selector dial. The chute is aligned with thedownwardly inclined web path, for possible unauthorized pull out, theknife is pivoted above the inclined ticket path with no tension meansfor clean cutting, and the dispensing slot is at the bottom of the unit.

A drum type ticket feed, cut off knife and gravity chute is alsodisclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,973,707 to Crivelli of Mar. 7, 1961, thisbeing a self-operating money actuated unit, but the ticket feed path atthe cutting station is vertical, the knife reciprocates horizontally andthe dispense slot is at the bottom of the machine.

The note acceptor of this invention is commercially available and may beof the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,268 to Dills et al. of Oct. 12,1965, or of any equivalent make.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In this invention, the cabinet is securelylocked, free of the need for human hands to press any actuatingelements, and the apparatus is actuated whenever a note, such as adollar bill, is inserted in, and accepted by the note acceptor, securelyprotected within the cabinet. The note acceptor, and its slot, arelocated at the bottom of the machine, while the feed path of the web, onits pin chain, is horizontal up under the top wall to the cuttingstation. The delivery chute is angled downwardly out of the horizontalplane of feed to a dispensing slot located proximate the top of themachine, and the chute contains baffles so that unauthorized insertionof pull out tools is unlikely to be successful.

The pivoted knife is located below the path of feed and is provided witha tension bar to assure a clean shear with the bed knife as well asbeing'positively advanced and retracted by an eccentric cam and yoke.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of theticket dispensing apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the electric controls of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, in section, and enlarged, of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation, in section, on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the feeding and cutting means withparts broken away;

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of the device shown in FIG. 5, and

FIGS. 6 and 8 are side elevations, from opposite ends, of the deviceshown in FIGS. 5 and 7.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, 30 represents anautomatic, note actuated ticket dispenser of the invention, having acabinet 31, with a counter aperture 32, for a counter 33, in the topwall 34, and a ticket dispensing slot 35 located in the middle part 36of a front wall 37 proximate the level of the top wall 34. A pair ofdrop leaves 38 and 39 serve as writing platforms and are pivoted tocabinet 31 by hinges 41 and 42, and supported at the level of top wall34 by hinged braces 43 and 44. Cabinet 31 is mounted on a suitable base45 and may include writing instruments 46 and an advertising sign 47 asshown. Suitable locks, such as at 48, are provided to prevent pilferage,and an instruction sign 49 may also be provided.

A commercially available note acceptor 50, is securely mounted withinthe cabinet 31, the lower front wall 51 having a note acceptance slidingtray 52 into which a dollar bill is inserted by the customer. The billis then inspected by the note acceptor, and, if approved, the noteacceptor closes the electric circuit 53 to cause one individual ticket54, in duplicate, to be severed from ticket web 55, and gravitydispensed from downwardly inclined ticket chute 56 and out of slot 35.

It should be noted that no remote control selector units, actuatingswitches or buttons, sliding gates or operating levers are required oncabinet 31, dispensing being controlled only by the acceptance of anote.

Upon delivery of a ticket 54 from slot 35, onto the dispensing platform57, the customer inscribes his name on the ticket, retains one copy anddeposits the other copy in one of a pair of ticket depositing slots 58or 59 in the side walls of the cabinet, to fall into the removableticket bin 60.

A continuous web 55 of tickets 54 is fan-folded in the hopper 63, theweb containing a row 64 of aligned registration holes, or drive trackperforations 65 along one side edge 66, the other side edge 67 beingfree of such holes.

The feeding means 69 of the invention includes a driven endless chain70, carrying pins 71 which engage in the holes 65 and driven by electricmotor 72 intermittently to advance the pins 71 one ticket length, orincrement, upwardly from hopper 63 along a horizontal path 73 parallelto, and proximate the level of the underface 74 of top wall 34, to haltin the horizontal cutting station, or zone, 75, ready for severance. Theendless toothed belt 79 is trained around a sheave 76 on the shaft 77 ofmotor 72 to rotate at a predetermined speed,-shaft 77 carrying threeearns 78, 78a, and 78b engaged by three snap-action switches, 80, 82,and 83. The tickets 54 are relatively wide and in order to avoid drag onthe unapertured side edge 67, an endless chain 84 is mounted parallel tochain 70 with a drive sprocket 85 mounted on the shaft 94 which carriesthe drive sheave 88 for chain 70 to travel at the same predeterminedspeed as the web 55, but instead of pins a plurality of friction pads 86of rubber, or the like, are spaced around chain 84 to frictionallyengage the underface 87 of the web 55 and urge the web forward.

A pair of pivoted spring clamps 89 and 90 are provided on each oppositeside of station 75, each having a horizontal flat planar face engagingweb 55, clamp 89 having a slot 91 for the pins 71, and clamp 90 having asimilar slot 92 for the pads 86, when no tickets are present. Bothclamps serve as hold down means in opposition to the lift off effect ofthe pivoted cutter knife 93 which moves upwardly and transversely underthe web 55 at station 75 to cut off each successive ticket halted atthat station.

The cutting means 95 includes the movable knife 93 which is pivoted at96 and includes the exterior bevel 97 to cooperate with a fixed bedknife 98 having an exterior bevel 99 so that knife 93 wipes over knife98 to accomplish an inherent, self-sharpening capability. Knife 93includes a cam yoke 100 embracing an eccentric cam 101 rotated by knifemotor 81, the shaft 102 of motor 81 carrying two timing cams 103 and103a, which close switches 104 and 105.

Shearing pressure means 107 is provided including a tension bar 108,slidably engaging the free terminal end 109 of cutting knife 93 andspring biased by coil spring 110 to continuously apply shearing pressureto assure a clean cut of each ticket.

The circuit 53 includes a source of current 111, a sold out limit switch112 to prevent actuation when the cabinet is empty of tickets, suitablepower on and empty indicator lights 113 and 114, bill acceptor 50, themotors 72 and 81 and the timing switches, 80, 82, 83 and 104, 104actuated by the timing cams 78, 78a, 78b, and 103 and 103a.

It should be noted that the downwardly inclined chute 56 is located atthe highest level possible in cabinet 31 with its upper end 115proximate top wall 34 and at a sharp angle to the plane of thehorizontal cutting station, there being a baffle or guide 116, all forpreventing unauthorized insertion of instruments in slot 35 for pullingout of the tickets without payment.

An automatic, electrically actuated lock 120 is provided to assureagainst theft, lock 120 comprising a locking wheel 121 having aplurality of radially extending locking pins 122 spaced therearound, andfast on shaft 94 of the feed means 69, and a locking arm 123 pivoted at124, the lower end 125 of arm 123 being actuated by locking solenoid 126and return spring 127 to move the upper end 128 into and out of the pinpath for locking and unlocking the apparatus. Solenoid 126 is inparallel with drive motor 72 so that it is energized only during oneincrement of feed, i.e., one ticket for each note accepted and the feedchain cannot advance a ticket, or move, at any other time. The counter33 is in parallel with the cutter motor 81 so that it counts each time aticket is cut off by knife 93.

The clamp assembly, by which the parts may be disassembled, includesenlarged, finger-knob, set-screw elements such as 130, which when turnedloosen the split clamps 131 and permit the feed chain units to be slidoff the shaft.

In operation, control circuit 53 as shown in FIG. 2, is energized by theinsertion and acceptance of a dollar bill in note acceptor 50, whichsends a l-second pulse by conductors 132, 133 and 134 to the 24 VACrelay 136 causing its contacts 137 and 138 to close. This energizes thetrack-lock solenoid 120 and the drive motor 72 by way of conductors 140and 141 and motor shaft 77 rotates cams 78, 78a, and 78b to close drivemotor holding switch and to open switch 82.

Switches 82 and 104 are in series with the note acceptor 50 and are usedto open the circuit thereto for preventing acceptance of another dollarbill while the machine is in cycle.

As the drive motor cycle nears completion, switch 83 closes momentarily,which completes a circuit to the ticket counter 33 and to the cutterknife motor 81 through conductors 142 and 143, the end of the drivemotor cycle closing switch 82 and opening switch 80 to de-energize therelay 136 and drive motor 72.

As the cutter drive motor 81 begins to rotate, the cams 103 and 103arotate to open switch 104 and close switch 105, the latter closing aholding circuit to the cutter bar motor 81 through conductors 144 and142 and 143. After 1 revolution of the cutter bar motor 81 switch 104closes and switch opens to de-energize motor 81 and complete thedispense cycle.

Unless motor 72 is energized the lock solenoid is de-energized and theweb 55, chain 70 and pins 71 cannot advance. The cams and switches arenot shown in detail because they are well known and commerciallyavailable, for example the ENERCON Model 45 Programmer Drive made byEnercon of Grafton, Wisconsin, or the equivalent thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Ticket dispensing apparatus for dispensing one ticket, in duplicate,cut from a continuous web of such tickets, for each paper note insertedtherein, said apparatus comprising:

a lockable cabinet containing a ticket hopper for a continuous web ofsaid tickets, each with registration holes along one side edge only, andcontaining a downwardly inclined delivery chute terminating in adispensing slot proximate the top of said cabinet;

feeding means including an electric motor driven chain, proximate thetop of said cabinet, having pins engaged in said holes, forintermittently advancing said web from said hopper, along a horizontalpath proximate said cabinet top to halt said web with each endmostticket at a horizontal cutting station in position to be cut and to falldown said chute when cut;

cutting means at said cutting station including a fixed bed knife, acutting knife pivoted below said web path and electric motor driven cammeans operably connected to said pivoted knife to move upwardly andsever each successive ticket halted at said station from said web tofall by gravity down said chute and out of said slot;

hold down means, at said cutting station, for holding said tickets downagainst the lift-off effect of said upward moving knife;

a note acceptor within said cabinet, and

a control circuit including said note acceptor, the motors of saidfeeding means and said cutting means, and a source of current,

whereby acceptance of a note by said note acceptor energizes saidcircuit to advance said web horizontally the length of one said ticket,sever said ticket and permit said ticket to fall down said chute out ofsaid slot.

2. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said feeding means includes a second driven endless chain, parallel tosaid pin carrying chain and having friction pads spaced therearound forengaging the underface of the unapertured side of said web whileadvancing therewith,

and said hold down means includes a flat planar clamp pivoted to saidapparatus and having an elongated slot for accommodating said pads inthe absence of a web, said clamp applying pressure to the upper face ofsaid web to frictionally urge the unapertured edge of said web down onsaid pads to advance at the same speed as the speed of said pin chain.

3. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said cutting means includes a spring biased tension bar in slidingengagement with the free end of said pivoted knife, said barcontinuously and resiliently urging said knife into close shearingengagement with said bed knife.

4. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim I, wherein:

said control circuit includes a limit switch, for opening said circuitand disabling said note acceptor in the absence of any tickets at saidcutting station, thereby preventing the acceptance of a dollar billwithout dispensing a ticket. 5. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specifiedin claim 1, wherein:

said cabinet includes a ticket counter visible from the outside thereofand means, operably connected to said control circuit, for actuatingsaid counter.

6. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said cabinet includes a pair of ticket depository slots,

each in an opposite side wall thereof, and

a removable bin, within said cabinet, for receiving tickets inserted ineither said depository slot from outside said cabinet.

7. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said hold down means includes a pair of springpressed, flat, horizontal,clamp elements, each on an oppositev side of said web advancing on saidpin chain up to said cutter station, said clamp elements being arrangedto hold down said web on said pins in opposition to the upward directionof cutting movement of said pivotable knife toward said bed knife,thereby preventing lift off during each cut and one said clamp elementhaving an elongated slot for accommodating said advancing pins.

8. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said bed knife and said pivoted knife are each beveled on the outside ofthe meeting edges thereof and the meeting edge of said pivoted knife isarranged to wipe over said bed knife to achieve an inherent,selfsharpening capability.

9. In a ticket dispenser of the type having a continuous web ofdrive-track, perforated tickets advanced by a motordriven, pin-carrying,endless chain from a hopper along a path toward a dispensing slot, thecombination of:

a horizontal cutting station along said path, proximate the top of saiddispenser, said station having a fixed bed knife extending transverselyabove said web; a motor-driven, cam-yoke actuated, cutting knife havingone end pivotally mounted below said web and movable upwardly tocooperate with said bed knife, and a spring-biased tension bar slidablyand resiliently engaging the other end of said cutting knife formaintaining shearing pressure in severing said tickets,

hold down means at said cutting station for holding down said ticketsagainst the lift off effect of said upward moving knife, duringseverance of a ticket and control circuit means including a source ofcurrent,

the motor of said knife, the motor of said endless chain, and a noteacceptor,

said acceptor closing said circuit, in response to an inserted, andaccepted, paper note, to first feed a ticket horizontally beyond saidbed knife and then to cut off said ticket for gravity-dispensing fromsaid slot.

10. The method of automatically dispensing individual and successivelottery tickets from a locked cabinet, in response to each paper noteinserted in, and accepted by, a note acceptor, said method comprisingthe steps of:

automatically advancing a web of such tickets, within said cabinet alonga horizontal plane, by pin registration along one side edge only, oneticket length into a horizontal cutting station near the top of saidcabinet and halting said web in said station,

then holding down both side edges of said web while severing said ticketfrom said web, within said cabinet in said horizontal cutting station toseparate the same from said web, and

then guiding and supporting said separated ticket to fall downwardly bygravity in a plane sharply angled to said horizontal plane for asubstantial distance before slidably emerging from the upper portion ofsaid cabinet,

said cutting step taking place sufficiently far back within the confinesof said cabinet to prevent unauthorized access to, pulling, or grippingof, said web,

from the outside of said cabinet.

1: w a: a:

1. Ticket dispensing apparatus for dispensing one ticket, in duplicate,cut from a continuous web of such tickets, for each paper note insertedtherein, said apparatus comprising: a lockable cabinet containing aticket hopper for a continuous web of said tickets, each withregistration holes along one side edge only, and containing a downwardlyinclined delivery chute terminating in a dispensing slot proximate thetop of said cabinet; feeding means including an electric motor drivenchain, proximate the top of said cabinet, having pins engaged in saidholes, for intermittently advancing said web from said hopper, along ahorizontal path proximate said cabinet top to halt said web with eachendmost ticket at a horizontal cutting station in position to be cut andto fall down said chute when cut; cutting means at said cutting stationincluding a fixed bed knife, a cutting knife pivoted below said web pathand electric motor driven cam means operably connected to said pivotedknife to move upwardly and sever each successive ticket halted at saidstation from said web to fall by gravity down said chute and out of saidslot; hold down means, at said cutting station, for holding said ticketsdown against the lift-off effect of said upward moving knife; a noteacceptor within said cabinet, and a control circuit including said noteacceptor, the motors of said feeding means and said cutting means, and asource of current, whereby acceptance of a note by said note acceptorenergizes said circuit to advance said web horizontally the length ofone said ticket, sever said ticket and permit said ticket to fall downsaid chute out of said slot.
 2. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specifiedin claim 1, wherein: said feeding means includes a second driven endlesschain, parallel to said pin carrying chain and having friction padsspaced therearound for engaging the underface of the unapertured side ofsaid web while advancing therewith, and said hold down means includes aflat planar clamp pivoted to said apparatus and having an elongated slotfor accommodating said pads in the absence of a web, said clamp applyingpressure to the upper face of said web to frictionally urge theunapertured edge of said web down on said pads to advance at the samespeed as the speed of said pin chain.
 3. Ticket dispensing apparatus asspecified in claim 1, wherein: said cutting means includes a springbiased tension bar in sliding engagement with the free end of saidpivoted knife, said bar continuously and resiliently urging said knifeinto close shearing engagement with said bed knife.
 4. Ticket dispensingapparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein: said control circuitincludes a limit switch, for opening said circuit and disabling saidnote acceptor in the absence of any tickets at said cutting statioN,thereby preventing the acceptance of a dollar bill without dispensing aticket.
 5. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1, wherein:said cabinet includes a ticket counter visible from the outside thereofand means, operably connected to said control circuit, for actuatingsaid counter.
 6. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specified in claim 1,wherein: said cabinet includes a pair of ticket depository slots, eachin an opposite side wall thereof, and a removable bin, within saidcabinet, for receiving tickets inserted in either said depository slotfrom outside said cabinet.
 7. Ticket dispensing apparatus as specifiedin claim 1, wherein: said hold down means includes a pair ofspring-pressed, flat, horizontal, clamp elements, each on an oppositeside of said web advancing on said pin chain up to said cutter station,said clamp elements being arranged to hold down said web on said pins inopposition to the upward direction of cutting movement of said pivotableknife toward said bed knife, thereby preventing ''''lift off'''' duringeach cut and one said clamp element having an elongated slot foraccommodating said advancing pins.
 8. Ticket dispensing apparatus asspecified in claim 1, wherein: said bed knife and said pivoted knife areeach beveled on the outside of the meeting edges thereof and the meetingedge of said pivoted knife is arranged to wipe over said bed knife toachieve an inherent, self-sharpening capability.
 9. In a ticketdispenser of the type having a continuous web of drive-track, perforatedtickets advanced by a motor-driven, pin-carrying, endless chain from ahopper along a path toward a dispensing slot, the combination of: ahorizontal cutting station along said path, proximate the top of saiddispenser, said station having a fixed bed knife extending transverselyabove said web; a motor-driven, cam-yoke actuated, cutting knife havingone end pivotally mounted below said web and movable upwardly tocooperate with said bed knife, and a spring-biased tension bar slidablyand resiliently engaging the other end of said cutting knife formaintaining shearing pressure in severing said tickets, hold down meansat said cutting station for holding down said tickets against the liftoff effect of said upward moving knife, during severance of a ticket andcontrol circuit means including a source of current, the motor of saidknife, the motor of said endless chain, and a note acceptor, saidacceptor closing said circuit, in response to an inserted, and accepted,paper note, to first feed a ticket horizontally beyond said bed knifeand then to cut off said ticket for gravity-dispensing from said slot.10. The method of automatically dispensing individual and successivelottery tickets from a locked cabinet, in response to each paper noteinserted in, and accepted by, a note acceptor, said method comprisingthe steps of: automatically advancing a web of such tickets, within saidcabinet along a horizontal plane, by pin registration along one sideedge only, one ticket length into a horizontal cutting station near thetop of said cabinet and halting said web in said station, then holdingdown both side edges of said web while severing said ticket from saidweb, within said cabinet in said horizontal cutting station to separatethe same from said web, and then guiding and supporting said separatedticket to fall downwardly by gravity in a plane sharply angled to saidhorizontal plane for a substantial distance before slidably emergingfrom the upper portion of said cabinet, said cutting step taking placesufficiently far back within the confines of said cabinet to preventunauthorized access to, pulling, or gripping of, said web, from theoutside of said cabinet.